9 Ways To Stay Productive While Working From Home | Experts’ Tips

Using a tool like the Eisenhower Matrix can help take overwhelm out of the equation when you're trying to be productive!

Sort your to-dos into a grid according to the most urgent and the most important.

It can help to visually see which items you need to start with, and which aren't a priority until later.

You can download an Eisenhower Matrix to start prioritizing your own to-do list at the link.

Honestly, the one tip I always share - because it has made me so much more productive - is to keep a sticky note next to you while you're working.

No more distracting yourself!

If you're writing, and "I forgot to call for the dentist appointment" pops into your head, jot it down and get back to work.

Same for "I need to remember to email so-and-so."

Just write it on the note, and concentrate on the task at hand.

Working from Home is wonderful for working mom life balance, but it also requires motivation and focus to be productive.

While constant interruptions from kids due to pandemic-related daycare and school closures makes it harder to focus, having a designated workspace is a super helpful tip.

Even if your kids are underfoot (or on a Chromebook beside you asking for help with distance school), having your own desk, an ergonomic setup, and all your necessary documents and equipment in a specific space makes the division between home and work that much clearer in our mind.

I got a good L-shaped desk and a standing desk converter on one side.

I have all my monitors and laptops set up accordingly, so I can efficiently access my work and client accounts from one location.

Then when I'm not in my designated office space, I am not working. And when I'm sitting here, my mind is focused on work.

We all think we’re more self-aware than we are, but most of us are really unaware of our actions and behaviors.

We don’t realize how we’re actually spending our time, what works best for us, or - most importantly - what motivates us. Until we know these things, we’ll never be as successful or productive as we want to be.

When you’re working from home, developing your self-awareness is even more crucial.

You have to create your environment and schedule.

You’ve got to find a routine that works for you, and then you have to find the motivation to do it.

That’s why regular reflection is the best thing you can do to increase your productivity. Build time into your day and week to reflect on your actions, accomplishments, and growth.

It might feel counterintuitive to stop working to reflect.

However, reflection will 100% make you more productive.

You’ll learn to evaluate your performance, spot roadblocks, and try new methods of doing things.

For your day-to-day work, you can create routines that maximize efficiency and highlight your strengths.

For example, I’ve discovered which tasks I should start with when I’m feeling freshest. I also can recognize when I’ll be most distracted and how to avoid these distractions.

Reflection will also help you pursue long-term goals.

You can discover your “why” - and this motivation should help shape everything that you do.

If you’re working from home, the distractions you have around you are endless.

What are you working toward? What goals do you have for yourself? How can they pull you forward through your day (rather than feeling like you have to push yourself to get things done)?

The more purpose you feel in your work, the more productive you’ll be. Purpose doesn’t just come, however; you have to discover it, over and over again, through reflection.

Running 3 businesses keeps me on my toes and I've had to find ways to increase my productivity levels. Over the years I have found plenty of online tools which help me to be more productive.

Sometimes it involves spending a little money on tools which help me increase my productivity and ultimately make more money in the long run.

One of my best investments was {upgrading to Canva Pro} for all my design needs. I can keep all my designs and templates in neatly organised folders instead of spending ages scrolling through previous designs to find what I need.

I also love the facility to be able to repurpose designs by quickly resizing them for each social media platform.

Whilst Canva Pro is a tool more suited for creative business owners, have a little think about if there are tools which you can invest in to make your m ore productive and efficient.

Sometimes the most productive days at home are when you take time outs during the day - especially when it comes to working on particularly difficult problems or projects.

Working from home for the past 6 years, we’ve definitely had time to test out our best tips and streamline our processes where possible.

Here are our three main productivity tips we try and utilise each day while working from home:

Get Outside

It’s amazing what some time in the sun can do for your productivity and positivity.

Try breaking up your day into chunks. For example, working in the morning, then before lunch, go for a walk for half an hour before you get back to eat.

This allows you to process any problems at work, away from the computer, and get some fresh air and exercise while you’re at it. It never fails to leave you feeling better and ready to get back to work for the afternoon.

If you can’t go for a walk, even sitting outside and staring at the sky for 5 minutes allows your mind time to wind down away from a screen.

Unplugging

It’s amazing how much time is eaten up by ‘just replying to this email’ or ‘quickly going to make a snack in the kitchen’.

A simple but effective trick is to go ‘unplugged’. If you need to get a project completed, switch off what you can - internet, phone on silent or out of the room, and any other distraction that can be minimised or eliminated.

This allows you to focus for a solid amount of time – whether it’s an hour or two, to dive deep and get the work done.

Setting the Scene

Spoil yourself by making your study or work area a place you want to spend time in.

You spend almost as much time in your workspace as you do sleeping – so why not make it your work palace!

Whether that’s decking it out with indoor plants, candles, or your favourite collectables. This gives your eyes and mind somewhere they can look away from the screen to ‘rest’ for a minute or two, and bring a smile to your face at the same time.

Which of these tips would you love to implement in your work from home days? Just one or all three? No matter what you choose, always make sure to take time outs at home while you work.

After five years of working from home, I’ve honed in on the most effective productivity strategies for getting tasks done and running an online business.

The main idea of productivity is to be effective and efficient rather than “busy.” But to do this, you first need to know what has to get done.

That’s where having a strategy makes all the difference. (And as a brand strategist and designer, this is one of the things I’m most passionate about!)

Focus on tasks that make a big impact, and start with the “right things” that will get you where you want to go.

Utilize a simple goal-planning system to break down your goals into small, daily action steps. This lets you stay productive and get straight to work each day since it saves you from having to decide what to work on.

Keep your to-do list simple and realistic, and think of it as a “must-do” list instead.

The next challenge is to show up and do the work.

It’s easy to feel unmotivated and distracted while working from home, so aim to discipline yourself to do what needs to get done.

Adopt a productive mindset, and brainstorm habits to help you stay focused, organized, and motivated. Focus on your “why” and the things that keep you going. Write them down, and keep them close by as reminder.

Create a daily routine and a weekly schedule, and make use of the time of day when you’re naturally more productive. I like to call this your “golden time,” and it’s where you make the magic happen.

For example, if you’re a small business owner, you might consider using this time to do work that grows your business—rather than to scroll on social media.

It’s also helpful to get up before your personal responsibilities so you can get about 30 minutes to 1 hour of work done before your day begins. Section your day into blocks of time, and keep personal tasks separate from business work time to help you stay focused.

I always suggest creating a dedicated work zone in your home to get tasks done, or changing up your spot throughout the day to stay refreshed. Keep it pleasant and comfy, and keep it equipped with everything you need. Be sure to ditch the clutter and distractions, too.

When you’re feeling unmotivated or overwhelmed, try the “10-minute startup.” Set a timer for 10 minutes, and force yourself to work fast and focused until the time is up. More often than not, you’ll find yourself on a roll, so it’ll be easy to use this momentum to keep working for a much longer session. This is a simple technique to help you get into a productive rhythm, and it has been a game-changer for me!

The night before, outline your day. Define your “must-do’s,” and determine what part of the day you’ll do them.

Best wishes on your productivity as you work from home!

One of the best ways to stay productive while working from home is by building the right daily routines.

Before, while you were still commuting to your workplaces, you were used to performing series of habits that lead you to the working process - waking up, having a shower, drinking coffee, dressing, putting on makeup, commuting to work, talking to colleagues, starting actually to work.

Things are different now. Half of these habits are out of the window, and that destroys the mental and physical transition from "I'm home" mental state to "I'm working" state.

To get that balance back, you want to develop another morning routine that helps you find that focus and transition successfully to your working state.

For example, no matter how tempted you are to stay with you, hoddie, you'd probably feel and act more professionally if you change your clothes.

Also, forget about doing house chores during work hours. Yes, you're home, but that doesn't mean you should squeeze every minute you could rest and turn it into a speed-cleaning session.

Work hours are for work. Your break is to relax and clear your mind, so you could work better. Trust me, trying to do everything at once will only make you feel overwhelmed and slammed with more chores you could handle.